COLUMBUS - Top honors for the 2018 America in Bloom National Awards Program were announced at the annual symposium and awards celebration held in Lexington, Kentucky on Sept. 29.
All participants were evaluated on seven criteria: overall impression, community vitality, environmental efforts, heritage celebration, urban forestry, landscaped areas, and flowers. Additionally, they were judged on their community involvement across municipal, residential, and commercial sectors. America in Bloom is the only national awards program that sends specially trained judges to personally visit participants. In addition, each participant receives a detailed written evaluation that can be used as a guide to future improvements.
The following awards were given: population category winners, outstanding achievement awards, special awards, community champion and YouTube video award.
| Population category winners are: | |
| Town | Population Category |
| Castle Rock, WA | Under 3,000 |
| Slippery Rock, PA | 3,000 – 10,000 |
| Newtown Square, PA | 10,000 – 14,000 |
| Tavares, IL | 14,000 – 25,000 |
| Mansfield, OH | 25,000 – 75,000 |
| St. Charles, IL | 25,000 – 50,000 |
| Lewisburg, WV | Champions – Tall* |
| Arroyo Grande, CA | Champions – Grande* |
| St. Charles, IL | Champions – Venti* |
| Lexington, KY | Champions – Trenta* |
*The Champions categories are for towns that have a combination of any three: population category win and/or outstanding achievement awards.
| Outstanding Achievement Award winners are: | |
| Town | Award |
| Holliston, MA | Celebrating Heritage |
| Washington, MO | Urban Forestry |
| Morro Bay, CA | Landscaped Areas |
| Combined Locks, WI | Overall Impression |
| Calabasas, CA | Environmental Efforts |
| Logan, OH | Community Involvement |
| Bluffton, OH | Flowers |
| Brewton, Alabama | Community Vitality |
| Special Award winners are: | |
| Town | Award |
| Washington, MO | Community Mentoring |
| West Chicago, IL | Best Community Celebration |
| Decatur, IL | Best Use of Social Media |
| Clyde, OH | Best Use of Containers in the Landscape |
| Ottawa, IL | Most Impressive New Project or Program |
| Lewisburg, WV | Coolest Downtown |
| Mansfield, OH | Coolest Place for Kids |
| Calabasas, CA | Best Example of Protecting Water Resources |
| Lexington, KY | Best Heritage Tree Program |
| Coshocton, OH | Best Use of Edibles in the Landscape |
John R. Holmes III Community Champion Award: Connie Hench, Clyde, OH.
YouTube video award: Decatur, IL
For a full list of results, go to www.Americainbloom.org.
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